Iran and Saudi Arabia want to normalize relations Iran and Saudi Arabia want to normalize relations

Iran and Saudi Arabia want to restore diplomatic relations after years of conflict. As a first step, the foreign ministers of the rival countries want to meet, the state news agencies of both countries, IRNA and SPA, reported on Friday. Accordingly, senior government officials in China signed a corresponding agreement.

Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran have not maintained diplomatic relations in recent years. Both countries compete for political and military influence in the region.

Riyadh cut official ties with Tehran in January 2016 in response to an attack by Iranian protesters at the Saudi embassy in Iran. The protests were sparked by the execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia. In recent years, the two states have also fought their rivalry in military conflicts in the region, for example in Yemen.

Over the past year, the two sides have approached each other cautiously on a diplomatic level. Several rounds of talks were held in Iraq with Iranian and Saudi officials, mostly focusing on security issues. Influential Iranian politician Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Security Council, was reportedly back in Baghdad for talks in recent days. In addition to Iraq, Oman had also played a role as a mediator.

More information follows

(aeg/sda/dpa)